Door latch mechanism



July 7, 1936. w. c. DEVEREAUX DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l W. C. DEVEREAUX DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 5, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 7, 1936 'UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,046,611 noon LATCH MECHANISM William C. Devereaux, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 5, 1932, Serial No. 645,847

13 Claims. (01. 292-169) This invention relates generally to door latchmechanism, especially vehicle door latch mechanism, and consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of5 parts, thatiwill be hereinafter more fully described and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a door with latchmechanism embodying my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-,-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 3A is a detail view of the rollback;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the door latch mechanism;

Figure 4A is a detail view of the spring washer;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a slightly modified latch construction;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a. front elevation of the construction illustrated inFigure 5;.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the inside handle stem illustrated inFigures 5 to 7, inclusive;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the stem illustrated in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a detail view of the rivet illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a detail view of the inside rollback illustrated in Figure5;

Figure 12 is a detail view of the spring washer used in themodification;

Figure 13 is a detail view of the rollback used in the modification;

Figure 14 is a plan view of the spring;

Figure 15 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview through the handleassembly with parts broken away and in section.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a vehicle door; B is a verticallymovable glass panel in said door, and C is a runway for said glasspanel. D is a latch case plate having portions I and 2 respectivelysecured to opposite sides of the door and having an intermediatetransversely extending portion 3 at the forward edges of said portionssecured to the free edge of the door. E is a latch bolt extendingthrough an opening in thetransversely extending portion 3 for engagementwith a suitable keeper (not shown) and having a shank 4 slidably mountedon the inner portion I of the case plate, and F is a spring anchored onthe intaken on ner portion I of the case plate and having an arm 5engaging a lateral flangeB of the shank and normally holding the bolt Ein projected position, G is a cover plate arranged in spaced relation tothe outer portion 2 of the case plate and rigidly 5 secured thereto; His a handle operable from the outer side of the door and having a stem 1of substantially square cross section disposed substantially parallel tothe transversely extending portion 3 of the case plate and received inaligned 10" openings in the outer portion 2 of the case plate and coverplate G, and I is a rollback on the stem 1 between the cover plate G andouter portion 2 and having an upstanding arm I0. Preferably thisrollback I is provided at diametrically oppo- 15 site points thereofwith notches II and I2 that receive lateral lugs I3 and I 4 respectivelyof a spring washer J on the stem 1 corresponding to that set forth in myapplication filed October 10, 1932 and bearing Serial Number 637,175.

In the present instance, the rollback I upon the outer portion 2 of thecase plate effects a retraction of the bolt E upon the inner portion lof the case plate by means of an intermediate yoke or actuator K whichstraddles the runway C for the glass panel B. As shown, the base I5 ofthis yoke is movable vertically in a suitable opening IS in thetransversely extending portion 3 of the case plate while the sides I!and I8, respectively, thereof are pivoted upon suitable studs or rivetsI9 and 20, respectively, extending transversely of the inner and outerportions I and 2 of the case plate. The outer side I8 has a dependingarm 2| in rear of and adapted to be engaged by the arm ll] of therollback, while the inner side I! has a depending arm 22 in advance ofand adapted to engage a lateral flange 23 of the bolt shank. Thus byoperating the outside handle H to turn the rollback I clockwise againstthe arm 2| of the yoke, the latter will swing downwardly about therivets I9 and 20 so that the arm 22 will be moved anti-clockwise againstthe flange 23 of the bolt shank. As a result the latch bolt E will beretracted against the tension of the spring F.

For dogging or rendering the outside rollback I inoperative I haveprovided a rollback M which is pivoted upon the inner portion lot thecase plate and has a downwardly extending arm 24 engageable with arecess 25 in the inner side ll of the yoke. As shown, this rollback Mhas a hub 26 mounted to turn in aligned openings in the inner portion Iof the case plate and in a suitable cover plate 0 upon said innerportion and is adapted to be turned by a laterally projecting stem R andhandle T upon the inner'side of the door. Preferably this arm 24 of therollback is in advance of and is engageable with a lateral flange 29 ofthe bolt shank toeffect the retraction of the bolt. A second arm 30extends downwardly from the rollback M so as to be in the path of thelateral flange 29 of the bolt shank when the arm 24 is in doggingengagement with the yoke. I Thus by turning the inside rollback Mclockwise the arm 24 thereof will be engaged with. the recess 25 andwill cause the yoke D and outside rollback I to be dogged. Any suitablemeans such as the spring X carried by the cover plate 0 may be used todetachably hold the rollback Min such dogging position. By turning theinside rollback M anti-clockwise the arm 24 will engage the lateralflange 29 of the bolt shank and will cause the bolt E to be retractedagainst thetension of the spring F. Normally the arm 24 is held bythespring X in engagement with the lateral flange 29 of the bolt shank.However, should the arm 24 bein the dogged positionpi. e., in the recess:25 in the yoke when thdooris open, the lateral flange 29 of the boltshank'will engage and swing the arm 30 of the rollback in ananti-clockwise direction when the door' is "subsequently'fclosed orslammed shut. As a result thegarm '24 will be moved out of the recess.25 in the: yoke andthe latter may then be moved by the outside handleto effect a retraction of the-bolt. 'Ihus this'fea ture prevents thepossibility of the driver being locked outside the'car if the rollback Misnot in normal positionwhen the door is movedfrom openitoclosedposition. a a In Figures 5 to 15 inclusive; Iihave illustrateda slightmodification wherein 40 is a latch'case plate secured uponthe inner sideof the door and provided at its forward edge with-a lateral flange 41that is secured to the forward edge'of the door. 42 is a latchboltextending through 'an opening 7 in the lateral flange 4|forengagement witha suitablekeeper (not shown) and having a rearwardlyextending shank 43 flxed thereto anddisposed substantially parallel tothe-case plate. and 44 is a spring anchored on thecase plate and hav-ving-an' arm '45 between the case plate and shank 43 engaging the :rearend of the bolt and normally holding thesame in projected position. 46is a cover plate parallel and secured to the case plate 41 is a handleoperable from the outer'side of the door and having a stem 48 ofsubstantially square cross section disposed substantially par allel "tothe lateraliflange. 4! and received in aligned openings inane case plate'41] and cover plate 41b, and 49 is a rollback sleeved on the stem 48between the plates 40 and 45 and having an upstanding arm 50 engageablewith "a lateral flange 5! of the: bolt shank to efiect a retraction ofthe bolt. Any suitable means such as the lugs 52 struck out from thecase plate 45 may be used as abutments for thexrollback'arm '50 to limitthe forward swingingmovement thereof, while any suitablemeans such asthe spring washer 53 sleevedon the :stem 48 and having diametricallyopposed struck-out lugs 54 and 55 respectively engaging diametricallyopposed notches 56 and 51 respectively in the rollback may be employedto take up play between the stem '48 and rollback 49.

and maintain the parts in proper assembled relation.

58 is'a handle operable from the inner side of a door and having astem-59 journaled in the case plate 40; 60 is arivet'hav'ing a head 6|upon the innerside of the bolt shank 43, having a circular portion =fi2within an elongated slot 63 in the shank 43, and having a spirallyknurled shank 64 engaging an axial socket 65in the inner end of the stem59. 66 is a rollback non-rotatably sleeved on the stem 59 between theshank 43 and case plate 40 and having an upstanding arm 61 provided witha rounded portion 68 for engagement with a lateral flange 69 of theshank 43for efiecting a retraction of the bolt, provided with a rshoulder 10 for engagement with a rearwardly extending arm H of theoutside rollback to dog the latter andrender the outside handle 4'!inoperative, and having an offset end portion 12 engageable by thelateral flange 5| of the shank applied directly upon the outer end ofthe bolt 42 as when the door is moved to closed position or is when thelatter is moved rearwardly by pressure blown or slammed shut. Thus withthis coni struction the rivet 69 forms a guide for the bolt shank 43 andcooperates with said shank to hold the handle stem 59 in properassembled position in the case plate and to hold the rollback 66 inproper assembled position upon said stem. 4 i In use, thebolt42 may beretracted againstthe tension of the spring 44 by moving the outsiderollback 49 clockwise :against the flange 51, or 5 by moving 'the insiderollback B6] clockwise against the lateral flange 69. When the bolt 42is in projected position and the outside. rollback arm 50 is inengagementwith the lugs 52, the inside rollback'fi'li may be turnedanticlockwise so that the shoulder 10' may engage the arm ll of theoutside rollback. The outside rollback will then be dogged and renderedinoperative. suitable means such as the spring leaf or washer on thestem 59 between the case plate 45 and the rollback 66 may be'used todetachably hold the said rollback in this dogged position. The outsiderollback 49 may be readily released by moving the inside rollback B6clockwise to disengage the'shoulder 10 from the arm H. Nor n ally thearm Glis held by the spring in engagement with the lateral flange 69' ofthe bolt shank. However, should the outside rollback'49 be dogged by theshoulder 7100f the inside rollback when the door isfope'n, thelateralflange 5! of the bolt shank will engage and swing theoffset end portion12 'of the'arm 61 in an anticlockwise direction when the door issubsequently closed or slammed shut. As .a result the shoulder 10 of theinside rollback 65 will be disengaged from the'arm H of the outsiderollback and the latter may then be rnoved by the outside handle 41 toeflect a retraction of the bolt. Thus this feature prevents thepossibility of the driver theportions aforesaid of the shank to releasethe,

first mentionedrollbackr v2; In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolthaving two lateral projections, means engageable with one of saidprojections for retracting the bolt, and means engageable withthe secondprojection to effectza-retraction of the :bolt, said'last mentionedmeans being engageable with the first mentioned'means to dog the same,and operable by the second projection on the bolt to efiect a release ofsaid first mentioned means.

3. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt having a shank movableover said case plate, a handle stem journaled in the case plate besideand terminating short of said shank, a rollback non-rotatably sleeved onthe stem between the case plate and shank and engageable with a portionof the latter to effect a retraction of the bolt, and means holding thestem in the case plate so that the rollback will be retained on thestem, including means forming a guide for the bolt shank.

4. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt having a shank movableover said case plate, a handle stem extending through the case platetoward but terminating short of said shank, a roll back non-rotatablysleeved on the stem between the case plate and shank and engageable witha portion of the latter to efiect a retraction of the bolt, and meansholding the handle stem in the case plate so that the roll back will beretained on the said stem, including means extending through the boltshank.

5. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt having a shank movableover said case plate, a handle stem extending through the case platetoward but terminating short of said shank, a roll back non-rotatablysleeved on the handle stem and engageable with the shank to efiect aretraction of the bolt, and means maintaining the handle stem and rollback in assembled relation relative to the case plate and shank,including an element extending through the shank and secured to saidhandle stem.

6. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt having a shank movableover said case plate, a handle stem extending through the case plate to-Ward but terminating short of said shank, a roll back non-rotatablysleeved on the handle stem and engageable with the shank to effect aretraction of the bolt, and means holding the handle stem and roll backin assembled relation relative to the case plate and bolt shankincluding 4 means forming a guide for the bolt shank.

7. In a door latch, a latch bolt having a shank, a roll back engageablewith one portion of the shank to move the bolt, and a second roll backengageable with another portion of the shank to move the bolt,engageable with the first mentioned roll back to dog the same, andactuable by the first mentioned portion of the shank to release thefirst mentioned roll back.

8. In a door latch, a latch bolt having a shank, a roll back engageablewith one portion of the shank to move the bolt, and a second roll backengageable with another portion of the shank to move the bolt,engageable with the first mentioned roll back to dog the same, andactuable by the last mentioned portion of the shank to release the firstmentioned roll back.

9. In a door latch, a case plate attachable to a door, a latch bolthaving a shank slidable over one side of said case plate and engageablewith a keeper upon a jamb for the door, a handle stem upon the otherside of said case plate, said latch bolt shank being movable relative tosaid handle stem upon pressure being exerted endwise of the boltincident to closing the door against its jamb, a rollback for efiectinga retraction of the bolt carried by the handle stem between the caseplate and bolt shank and engageable with a portion of the latter, andinaccessible means carried by the handle stem, forming a guide for thebolt shank and retaining the rollback between the bolt shank and. caseplate.

10. In a door latch, a case plate having a substantially fiat portion, alatch bolt having a longitudinally movable shank upon one side of thefiat portion of the case plate, a handle stem extending through the flatportion of the case plate toward but terminating short of said shank,said shank being movable relative to said stem and having alongitudinally extending slot therein in alignment with said stem, arollback sleeved on said stem between the shank and fiat portion of thecase plate, and means maintaining the handle stem in assembled relationwith the case plate and holding the handle stem against withdrawal fromthe rollback, including a member projecting from the handle stem withinthe slot aforesaid and forming a guide for the longitudinally movablebolt shank.

11. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt having a longitudinallymovable shank upon the inner side of the case plate, a handle stem 01)-erable from the outer side of the case plate extending through the caseplate toward but terminating short of said shank, said shank beingmovable relative to the said stem and having a longitudinally extendingslot in alignment with said stem, and means holding the handle stem in 9the case plate and forming a guide for the bolt shank, including anelement extending through the longitudinally extending slot in the boltshank and secured to the handle stem.

12. In a door latch, a slidable bolt shank having two lateralprojections, means engageable with one of said projections to actuatesaid shank, and means operable independently of the means just mentionedhaving a portion engageable with the other projection to actuatesaid-shank, having another portion engageable with the first mentionedmeans to dog the same, and having a third portion engageable by thefirst mentioned projection on said shank upon movement of the latter bypressure exerted endwise thereof to cause the second mentioned portionof said second mentioned means to be dis-engaged from the firstmentioned means.

13. In a door latch, a slidable bolt shank having a lateral projection,means independent of said projection for sliding said shank, andactuating means for the bolt shank independent of the means justmentioned having portions straddling said projection, said shank beingslidable relative to both of said means upon pressure being exertedendwise thereof, one of said portions being engageable with the firstmentioned means upon movement of the second mentioned means in onedirection to render the first mentioned means inoperative, and beingengageable with said projection upon movement of the second mentionedmeans in another direction to slide said shank relative to said firstmentioned means, the other of said portions being movable by saidprojection upon movement of the shank by pressure exerted endwisethereof when the first mentioned portion of the second mentioned meansis in engagement with the first mentioned means to restore the saidsecond mentioned means to normal position and thereby release the firstmentioned means.

WILLIAM C. DEVEREAUX.

